Why do companies consistently use a from address of “noreply@…com” when sending out automated emails? Often inside the message, you’ll find something along the lines of this:
“Do not reply to this email. All replies go to an unmonitored mailbox.”
Instead, what if the emails came from a customer service associate? If you had a problem with your order, all you would have to do is hit reply and start typing. Your emails would be sent to a real person who could assist you. But instead of taking this more personalized approach, they come across as robots.
In my opinion, this is a big usability and marketing mistake. Companies should make it as easy as possible for their customers to engage them.
I just did a quick search through my inbox looking for emails coming from “noreply” and found just a few of the biggest offenders. Take a look at these:
- Rackspace – I’m probably the most surprised with this one
- PayPal
- Amazon Payments
- Google Checkout
- Overstock
- US Bank
- Charles Schwab
- Moo.com
Solution
Don’t use noreply email addresses. At the very least, have them sent to a distribution list where the right people in your organization can monitor the feedback. It can even be tied into a ticketing system to keep things organized. Whenever somebody replies, it will automatically create a ticket in your internal system so your team can keep track of feedback and respond accordingly.
What do you think? Leave a comment or let me know by sending a quick note to noreply@trevorfitzgerald.com. (Please note that is an unmonitored mailbox and emails will not be read.)
